Amit begins world 9-ball campaign

Source: Manila Bulletin
Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit hopes to make another first in Philippine billiards when she competes in the 2010 Amway-WPA women’s world 9-ball championship starting this Wednesday at the International Pool Club in Taiwan.

After becoming the country’s first female world champion following her conquest of the inaugural world women’s 10-ball championship here last year, Amit now aims to become the first Filipina to hold two titles at same time when she battles the best in the world in the event that stakes a total cash prize of $70,000 (roughly P3.3 million).

“I'm excited and hope to play best,” the 27-year-old from Mandaue, Cebu City said Monday night after being named the Philippine Sportswriters Association's co-Athlete of the Year. “I've trained hard for this competition."

Amit, who left for Taiwan Tuesday, is not also new to playing in this kind of tournament, having played the same event in 2007 where she lost to Xiao Ting Pan in the final.

Although her first world title came in a 10-ball play, Amit won’t find difficulty playing in a 9-ball tourney considering that 9-ball is actually her cup of tea, having won three gold medals in that event in the Southeast Asian Games.

An accountancy graduate at the University of Santo Tomas, Amit hoisted the world 10-ball trophy last year by routing Liu Shin-mei of Taiwan, 10-4, in the final.

That victory put Amit in an exclusive club of Filipino world billiards champions that include Efren “Bata” Reyes, who won the world 9-ball championship in 1999 and 8-ball title in 2004, Alex Pagulayan, the world 9-ball in 2004, and Ronnie Alcano, who also captured the 9-ball and 8-ball crowns in 2007.